The Bengals’ wild loss showed why long snappers, the NFL’s invisible men, matter

Evan McPherson could have won the game twice for Cincinnati against their divisional rivals. But they were missing a key man

The latest instalment of the Steelers-Bengals rivalry was an anxiety-ridden thriller, even for those with no rooting interest in either team. A display of football mastery for the ages, it was not. But the 23-20 overtime win by Pittsburgh had more twists and turns than an entire season of Stranger Things.

As such there were several key takeaways, starting with TJ Watt and a ferocious defense bullying a supposedly improved Bengals offensive line. Joe Burrow was sacked a whopping seven times: Watt alone collected a sack, interception and three tackles for a loss (the reigning defensive player of the year would later leave the field with a feared torn pectoral).